MRP attacks apostolic sects -The Southern Eye

The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) this week raided shrines of apostolic sects in Bulawayo, claiming they were clearing the air of activities that are alien to Matabeleland culture.

The opposition party ordered sect members to remove ritual cloths and flags, saying they violated local cultural norms and values.

The group of activists patrolled the bush between the high-density suburbs of Mzilikazi and Entumbane, where most of the shrines are located.

The MRP team said it had established that most of these sanctuaries were operated by people from the Mashonaland region.

In a statement yesterday, MRP spokesperson Velile Moyo said his patrol uncovered an unprecedented spate of illicit practices at the shrines.

“This vast expanse of land, from Mpilo Hospital (Central) to the United College of Education, has suffered from illegal settlements and environmental deterioration.

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“But we rose up against the norm, boldly challenging and paving the way for a cleaner, greener and more prosperous Bulawayo. “This area has been taken over by various spiritual cults and ecclesiastical groups, who have erected shrines and places of worship, and some have even built permanent structures and thatched-roofed, stone-walled houses,” he said.

Moyo said they observed more than 47 shrines, adding that some cult leaders claimed to have been legally established by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), maintaining leases or paying rent.

“We urge BCC to publicly clarify whether these claims are genuine and, if so, to disclose the local area development plan, including when it was approved and whether the public was notified and invited to submit objections or comments, as required by the Regional. Urban and rural planning law and local ordinances,” he said.

“Although the Constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees freedom of worship and spiritual association, a sinister trend has taken hold in Bulawayo: the proliferation of cults and demigod worship, which prey on the vulnerable and desperate. “These unscrupulous entities, posing as religious groups, are exploiting the public’s trust and hard-earned money.”

Moyo said while legitimate churches had the right to apply for land and build suitable structures with necessary amenities, it was unacceptable for these dishonest operators to illegally occupy and operate without oversight or accountability.

“The illicit events at the Entumbane shrines are clearly evident upon observation. During visits to these sites, it was alarming to note that most of the sanctuaries lacked proper sanitation facilities.

“Only a couple of them had improvised solutions, such as portable single-hole toilets or primitive trench latrines covered with grass walls,” Moyo said.

He asked the BCC authorities to investigate the activities at the shrines.

“At the shrines, we discovered a disturbing sight: white crosses planted on piles of rocks and dirt, which looked like tombs and were probably intended to instill fear in those seeking consultation.

“This finding raises concerns about illicit activities taking place at these shrines, similar to the illicit burials reported at the Madzibaba Ishmael shrine in Nyabira,” he said.

In an interview, Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu yesterday said the council was aware of illegal sanctuaries, adding that they normally raided the sites.

“As a city, we cannot comment on the actions taken by the organization you refer to, but we want to emphasize that these shrines are illegal and we urge city residents to avoid such activities.

“First of all, there are no sanitation facilities and honestly, how do these people help themselves? This generates cholera and other associated diseases. Our law enforcement department takes care of that. They will all be arrested. As a city, we do not allow lawlessness in the city,” he said.

In March, Bulawayo residents expressed concern over the emergence of shrines in the city’s open spaces.

They called on the council to act and remove the shrines.

Thembelani Dube of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association said apostolic sects should respect local culture.

“It is very true that hanging clothes in the bush is taboo in Ndebele culture. What was respected before is no longer respected and now people do what they want.

“A long time ago, we had people removing everything that was believed to affect rainfall patterns. Now people don’t care, they just do what they want,” Dube said.